National to campaign on ending good character assessments for sex offenders

Sunday, 17 May 2026

The National Party has announced it will campaign on getting rid of good character assessments for sexual offenders, in order for those convicted to get tougher sentences.

Good character discounts are generally taken to be sentence reductions given to people who can demonstrate a positive background, good character, or other personal circumstances.

National Party justice spokesperson and Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith said new laws that would be brought in if National was re-elected would prohibit judges from treating good character as a mitigating factor at sentencing for all sexual offending.

“The result will be tougher sentences, and stopping judges from being forced to consider the public reputation of an offender when sentences for sexual offending are being handed down.”

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Goldsmith said the policy would be built on the changes the Government made last year, which capped the sentence discounts judges could apply by 40% when considering personal mitigating factors ‒ unless it would result in manifestly unjust sentencing outcomes.

The announcement was made at an event in Hamilton on Sunday afternoon.

In March The Post reported on Chief Victims Adviser Ruth Money writing to Goldsmith calling for the provisions to be taken away from child sex offenders.

In that reporting Money said the impact it can have is huge.

“The moment you start sexually violating a child or young person or participating in online child sex offending you should lose claim to ‘good character’ references.”